83226 ZIP Code — Challis, ID

Custer County, Idaho

ZIP code 83226 is located in Challis, Idaho, within Custer County. It covers approximately 2,010.38 square miles and serves a population of 2,296 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 208.

About ZIP code 83226

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $259,700. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.

Median household income is $51,250. 56% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with construction as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 16% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

21% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 22% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 25%.

Overall, ZIP code 83226 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,296
population
2,010.38
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Mountain (MT)
timezone
83226 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 83226

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 83226. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City Status
Challis Preferred
Demographics updated 06/2026
Population
Total population 2,296
Population density 1,148 / sq mi
State FIPS 16
County FIPS 037
Geography
Land area 2,010.38 sq mi
Water area 2.58 sq mi
Latitude 44.3625
Longitude -113.9422
Timezone Mountain (MT)
Area code 208
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics updated 06/2026
Household income
Income range This ZIP County avg State avg
Under $50k 75.7% 60.4% 41.8%
$50k – $100k 16.7% 26.9% 34.0%
$100k – $200k 7.6% 12.7% 19.5%
Over $200k 0.0% 0.0% 4.7%

Demographics & statistics

2,296
Population
1,148
People per sq mi
53.4
Median age
$51,250
Median household income
$24,583
Per capita income
$259,700
Median home value
$663
Median monthly rent
70.4%
Home ownership
12.2%
Poverty rate
0.5%
Unemployment
1,159
Housing units
16.0%
Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female
34
Under 5
29
52
5–9
44
88
10–14
76
41
15–19
36
51
20–24
44
45
25–34
39
129
35–44
110
194
45–54
166
78
55–59
66
100
60–64
85
260
65–74
223
161
75–84
138
4
85+
3
← Male
Female →

Age summary

GroupCount%
Under 1839917.4%
18 and over1,89782.6%
65 and over78934.4%
Median age53.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 90.6%
Two or more races 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%
Other race 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
GroupCount%
White2,14290.6%
Two or more races793.3%
Hispanic or Latino682.9%
Other race421.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native321.4%

Household income

Income range This ZIP County avg State avg
Under $50k 75.7% 60.4% 41.8%
$50k – $100k 16.7% 26.9% 34.0%
$100k – $200k 7.6% 12.7% 19.5%
Over $200k 0.0% 0.0% 4.7%
Under $10k 4.4%
$10k–$15k 5.0%
$15k–$25k 24.4%
$25k–$35k 5.3%
$35k–$50k 10.8%
$50k–$75k 24.0%
$75k–$100k 11.0%
$100k–$150k 12.4%
$150k–$200k 2.6%
Range% of households
Under $10k4.4%
$10k–$15k5.0%
$15k–$25k24.4%
$25k–$35k5.3%
$35k–$50k10.8%
$50k–$75k24.0%
$75k–$100k11.0%
$100k–$150k12.4%
$150k–$200k2.6%
Median income$51,250

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 4.9%
$50k–$100k 8.0%
$100k–$150k 13.7%
$150k–$200k 10.3%
$200k–$300k 38.0%
$300k–$500k 21.8%
$500k–$1M 3.3%

Housing overview

MetricValue
Median home value$259,700
Median rent / month$663
Owner occupied70.4%
Renter occupied29.6%
Vacant36.8%
Single-family detached62.7%
Large apartment buildings0.0%
Mobile homes27.0%
Median rooms5.3
Avg household size (owned)2.67

Year built

Era%
2020 or later0.0%
2010–20192.8%
2000–20099.5%
1990–199917.5%
1980–198934.9%
1970–197913.8%
1960–196914.0%
1950–19593.2%
1940–19491.0%
1939 or earlier3.4%

Bedrooms

Size% of units
No bedroom (studio)1.4%
1 bedroom8.9%
2 bedrooms24.7%
3 bedrooms34.7%
4 bedrooms23.1%
5+ bedrooms7.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles% of households
No vehicle6.4%
1 vehicle11.8%
2 vehicles37.1%
3 or more44.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type%
Utility gas1.8%
Electricity64.3%
Propane / LP gas5.1%
Fuel oil1.0%
Wood27.8%

Households & families

Household typeCount%
Married-couple family48453.8%
Cohabiting couple424.7%
Male householder, no spouse21824.2%
Female householder, no spouse15617.3%
Households with children under 1814816.4%
Households with seniors (65+)46251.3%
Average household size2.48

Marital status

StatusMaleFemale
Never married20.6%20.1%
Married50.3%54.6%
Separated0.0%3.5%
Widowed0.4%4.6%
Divorced28.7%17.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.9%
Some HS, no diploma 9.4%
HS graduate 25.5%
Some college, no degree 35.1%
Associate's degree 9.9%
Bachelor's degree 13.6%
Graduate / professional 2.4%
Metric%
HS diploma or higher86.6%
Bachelor's or higher16.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

TypeCount%
Nursery / preschool00.0%
Kindergarten205.9%
Elementary school22265.5%
High school6418.9%
College / grad school339.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Construction 18.9%
Agriculture & mining 17.3%
Retail trade 14.1%
Transportation & utilities 10.1%
Public administration 9.1%
Arts, food & hospitality 8.0%
Education & healthcare 6.6%
Finance & real estate 6.5%
Other services 3.3%
Wholesale trade 3.1%
Manufacturing 1.6%
Professional & management 1.3%

Occupation

Category%
Management, business & arts43.7%
Service13.2%
Sales & office29.7%
Natural resources & construction11.0%
Production & transportation2.4%

Employment type

Type%
Private sector58.5%
Government22.4%
Self-employed19.0%
Unpaid family workers0.0%

Commute

Method%
Drive alone63.5%
Carpool15.9%
Public transit0.0%
Walk3.4%
Work from home16.6%
Other means0.6%
Avg commute (minutes)15.2

Poverty

All people 12.2%
Under 18 years 25.3%
18 and over 9.4%
Married-couple families 5.6%
Female-led households 30.0%

Income support

Source% of households
Social Security56.2%
Retirement income32.3%
Supplemental Security3.7%
Cash public assistance1.9%
Food stamps / SNAP6.2%

Health indicators

Condition%
Obesity32.4%
High blood pressure36.1%
High cholesterol36.2%
Diabetes11.7%
Heart disease8.1%
Stroke3.8%
Asthma9.8%
Arthritis27.9%
Kidney disease3.4%
Pulmonary disease8.3%
Cancer7.6%
Behavior / access%
Smoking18.2%
Binge drinking14.3%
No physical activity23.0%
Less than 7 hrs sleep30.2%
Depression18.3%
Fair or poor health16.0%
Poor mental health13.3%
Poor physical health12.4%
No health insurance15.2%
Visited doctor (checkup)70.5%
Visited dentist57.2%
Cholesterol screening88.6%
Teeth loss15.7%

Veterans & disability

VeteransCount%
Civilian veterans41621.9%
Disability%
Any disability24.6%
Under 183.3%
18–64 years6.6%
65 and over60.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type%
Private insurance52.3%
Public insurance48.2%
No insurance21.0%
Uninsured under 190.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

LanguageCount%
English only2,23397.3%
Spanish251.1%
Other Indo-European251.1%
Asian & Pacific Islander00.0%
Other languages00.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

OriginCount%
Native born (US)2,27699.1%
Born in same state2,27299.0%
Born in different state84937.0%
Foreign born40.2%
Naturalized citizen200.9%
Not a US citizen00.0%

Ancestry

AncestryCount%
French43719%
Italian1044.5%
Arab602.6%
Dutch492.1%
AncestryCount%
English210.9%
Polish210.9%
German10%

Technology access

Metric% of households
Computer access39.2%
Internet access98.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 83226

What city is ZIP code 83226 in?

ZIP code 83226 is primarily assigned to Challis, Idaho.

What county is ZIP code 83226 in?

ZIP code 83226 falls within Custer County, Idaho.

Does ZIP code 83226 have an older population?

34% of residents in ZIP code 83226 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 83226 have a large retiree population?

56% of households in ZIP code 83226 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 83226 have a large veteran population?

22% of civilians in ZIP code 83226 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What is the population of ZIP code 83226?

ZIP code 83226 has an estimated population of 2,296 residents, with a density of 1 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 83226 in?

ZIP code 83226 observes the MST timezone.

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